


Off Hours

by mcschnuggles



Series: Schnugg's Regressuary 2021 [12]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, CGRE - Caregiver/Age Regressor, Caregiver!Taako, Gen, Regressing!Magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29381172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcschnuggles/pseuds/mcschnuggles
Summary: Even hired bodyguards deserve some off time.
Relationships: Magnus Burnsides & Taako
Series: Schnugg's Regressuary 2021 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138382
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12
Collections: Regressuary, Regressuary 2021





	Off Hours

As one of the most renowned, respected, and outright beautiful wizard chefs in Faerhun, Taako has a certain level of professionalism to maintain.

If Taako’s being honest, he doesn’t really have any practical need for a bodyguard. But it’s a chain reaction. He starts his show with a bodyguard, so people around will think he’s hot shit, in turn _making_ him hot shit, so he needs a bodyguard. Fake it till you make it, you know? That’s just Biz 101.

Not to mention any lost cost is made up by Taako getting to start fights in bars consequence-free.

The way Taako got his current bodyguard is by pure coincidence. He was thinking of putting an ad up on Fantasy Craigslist, but as it just so happened, his bodyguard found him first.

It’s hard not to notice Magnus Burnsides the second he walks into a room. He’s built like an oak shithouse—not quite a brick shithouse, but still big enough to be intimidating—and has just about the loudest speaking voice that Taako has ever heard. While not ideal at most times, that loudness ensured Taako heard the phrase “I’m looking for work” loud and clear.

And who was he to take a job opportunity from such an upstanding citizen?

“You’re making faces, punkin,” Taako points out. He doesn’t even have to look at Magnus to know that’s a fact.

Magnus has this nervous energy to him that’s nearly impossible to ignore. Sometimes that can be helpful, especially since Magnus has an ability to sense when a place is Bad News Bears, but more often than not, it’s just him worrying about leaving the stove on or thinking about the sad street dog they saw in town.

So yeah, Taako’s bodyguard is a bit of a teddy bear, but he can throw a helluva punch when he needs to.

Taako persists. He keeps his eyes on the horses trotting in front of him. Even though Magnus is the one with proficiency in vehicles, Taako insists on driving the cart. “What’s on your mind?”

“Do you think I was too rough with that guy at the bar?”

Magnus is looking at him, so Taako can’t crack a grin. It’s hard, especially remembering the way that dude absolutely wiped out over the pool table. “Nah, you did what you had to do to get him off of me.”

The unspoken addendum is that the only reason he was on Taako to begin with was because Taako had said something along the lines of, _what are you gonna do, punch me in the face? I’m a celebrity, baby_ , which all but invited the man to do so. And the only reason Taako had said that was because the man asked him to repeat his earlier sentiment about the man having “ugly shoes and an uglier mug.”

Taako casts a side glance at Magnus to find him still visibly uncomfortable. “What do you think, home slice? The horses look tired, so maybe we should pull off for the night.”

They aren’t too far from the last town, so it wouldn’t be too much work to turn around and park the cart for the night. The cart has two rooms, one for Taako and one for his bodyguard. Magnus used to have to sleep on the couch, but that was back when Taako had an assistant worth a damn. He’s just glad Magnus made sure Taako kept the cart.

Magnus hums. He does that little thing where he kicks his feet, meaning he’s half-small and seriously considering the offer. “Sounds good.”

Taako pats him on the knee. “Go get in your PJs, bub. I’ll turn this bitch around.”

Magnus giggles, mainly because Taako said a swear, and disappears back into the cart.

But of course the kid is too hyperactive to sit still for long, and Taako’s barely even parked when Magnus pops back out, wearing his comfiest hoodie and holding his favorite plushie, Mr. Snuffles, in his arms.

They don’t pick any of the spots at the inn. Taako claims they’re a scam, but even if they weren’t, he isn’t going to pay for parking. All they need is a place close enough to town that bandits won’t target them, but on some level, Taako is kind of wishing one of them would try.

One of the drawbacks of having a cool bodyguard is that you never get your hands dirty testing out new combat spells.

Taako tends to the horses, marking sure they have enough food and access to a nearby patch of grass before affixing their reigns to a sturdy-looking post.

“Sleep tight, Cory. ’Night, The House.”

The names were Magnus’s choice, not his, but they’re funny so he gladly addresses them as such.

Taako feels Magnus’s eyes boring into him the entire time he works. No surprise there. Frankly, it’s a miracle that he left for as long as he did to get changed.

From the depths of the woods, something howls.

Magnus goes tense, his head jerking in the direction of the sound. “Was that—”

Taako shushes him. “It’s off-hours, punkin,” he says softly. “Let me take care of the ass-kicking, m’kay?” He gestures to the cart. “Go back inside.”

This is always the hardest step. Maggie can feel little all he wants, and childish behavior is nothing new for him, but actually letting his guard down? It’s a tall task for someone who’s lost everything. Not that Taako would know anything about that. Magnus saved him from that fate.

Maggie takes a shaky breath, the tension still evident in his shoulders. He doesn’t take his eyes off Taako, like something might jump out of the forest at any second and attack him.

“C’mon, hun.” It’s an important step, but it’s a necessary one. And sometimes that means Taako has to bargain. “Anything you wanna do tonight?”

“Anything?” Magnus asks.

“Absolutely anything.”

Magnus clutches his stuffie a little closer, deliberating on the decision.

Taako fights back a smirk. Usually he has to try a lot harder than that. He’d never tell Magnus, but he has an entire trunk full of plushies and toys and clothes he keeps stashed for bribing purposes. When Magnus is this in his own head, sometimes the push he needs is Taako saying “I have a present for you.”

“Can we bake dog treats?” Magnus asks. “I saw some videos on Fantasy Youtube about how to bake them. They’re supposed to be good for people, too.”

Taako tilts his head. “You wanna feed the stray puppies, Mags?”

His face burns as he nods. “Someone’s gotta give the puppies snacks. It’s not fair that they don’t get treats.”

“We can make the puppies treats,” Taako agrees.

Come to think of that, it would be a great promotional stunt for the next town they go to. Taako’s Homemade Dog Treats is cute enough on its own, but handing them out to strays? Magnus might just be a genius.

“Why don’t you go inside and get the kitchen ready?” Taako asks, which means that Magnus will be getting out the mixing bowls and nothing else. Hyper little thing can’t even be trusted with flour, let alone turning on the stove. “I have to pack up the stuff out here.”

He gives Maggie a meaningful look, and Magnus visibly shrinks. It took Taako a while to pick up on, but he has a nervous tic, one where he rubs little circles on Mr. Snuffles. The fake fur is getting a little worn from it, but Taako doesn’t think it’ll be bad enough to need repairs anytime soon.

Maggie takes in another deep breath, gathering his courage, and nods. He sets Mr. Snuffles down in his open seat. “Is it okay if Mr. Snuffles stays with you?”

It’s progress. Even if it doesn’t quite feel like it, and no matter how much Magnus wants to deny it, it’s progress. He’s willingly taking his eyes off Taako during off-hours, without even needing a bribe or a distraction to get there. “Absolutely, Mags.”

Magnus smiles, in that soft way that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. “Thanks.”

He disappears back inside, and Taako waits for the soft clatter of kitchen noises before he finally gets to packing away their travel snacks and blankets. Sometimes Magnus likes to watch from the window, just in case.

From the sound of it, Magnus is on the older side of his headspace, meaning he’ll have a lot of energy and get distracted easily. Most of Taako’s work tonight will be keeping him on task and getting him to bed at a semi-reasonable hour.

Of course, the only thing harder than getting Maggie to bed is keeping him in bed. Any sound will have him instantly up and about, but usually that just means Taako has a very anxious cuddle buddy for the night.

Taako packs all the snacks into a single cooler and hastily folds the blankets into sloppy folded squares. He and Magnus have never been too concerned about being tidy, and he plans to just throw them over the back of the couch anyway.

With his free hand, he scoops Mr. Snuffles up against his chest. That’s a big sign of trust, too. At first, Magnus wouldn’t let Taako so much as touch his stuffies, and now he’s allowed to pick them up and keep them company when Maggie’s feeling anxious.

“Come on, Snuffs,” Taako says. “Let’s get you some homemade treats, my dude.”

**Author's Note:**

> mcschnuggles.tumblr.com


End file.
